.SNOW WILL CONTINUE OVER THE MOUNTAIN TODAY AND TONIGHT AS COLD AIR ALOFT AND STRONG NORTHWEST FLOW MOVES INTO WESTERN WASHINGTON. NEW SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS BY EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING COULD BE AS HIGH AS 16 INCHES IN THE CASCADES AND 8 INCHES IN THE OLYMPICS. AMOUNTS OF UP TO 3 INCHES ARE LIKELY IN THE PUGET SOUND CONVERGENCE ZONE NEAR EVERETT.

IN THE LOWLANDS…EXPECT BRIEF AND LOCAL ACCUMULATIONS OF SLUSHY SNOW TO OCCUR THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING. THIS IS MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR ON HILLS ABOVE ABOUT 500 FEET THIS MORNING AND ABOVE 300 FEET TONIGHT AND EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING…AND MAINLY WHERE CONVERGENCE ZONES SET UP IN THE NORTH INTERIOR AND NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE EAST PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS.

AN ARCTIC AIR MASS DROPPING SOUTH FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA… COMBINED WITH DEVELOPING LOW PRESSURE OFF THE WASHINGTON COAST WILL GIVE THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY SNOW OVER ALL OF THE LOWLANDS OF WESTERN WASHINGTON BEGINNING WEDNESDAY AND CONTINUING INTO THURSDAY MORNING. SNOWFALL IN WESTERN WHATCOM COUNTY AND THE SAN JUAN ISLANDS WILL LIKELY BE ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG NORTHEASTERLY WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH AND GUSTS TO 50 MPH BY THURSDAY MORNING.

…WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR THE WESTERN WASHINGTON LOWLANDS…

A WINTER STORM WATCH FOR THE WESTERN WASHINGTON LOWLANDS REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING.

* ACCUMULATIONS…SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO 6 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE FROM WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING.

* TIMING…WHILE BRIEF SLUSHY ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE IN SHOWERS THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNINGS…THE MAIN PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATING SNOW IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN OVER THE CENTRAL PUGET SOUND AREA…SOUTHWEST INTERIOR…HOOD CANAL… LOWER CHEHALIS VALLEY AND THE COAST LATE WEDNESDAY MORNING INTO WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. THE SNOW MAY CONTINUE WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING FOR FURTHER ACCUMULATIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE WINTER WEATHER. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL IN THE WATCH AREA…CARRY AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT…FOOD…WATER…AND BLANKETS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY.